Separate Lives
by angelsinstead
Summary: She finds herself unexpectedly pregnant, but that's not the only thing that's unexpected. A.J./Carly/Todd with a bit of Starr and Michael thrown into the mix.
1. Unexpected

_Author's Note: This story will be a series of drabbles and short chapters based off characters from ABC's General Hospital. I don't own GH, ABC, or the characters. This was written for entertainment only!_

**Unexpected**

She stared down at the pregnancy test as she looked for somewhere she could stash it. She didn't have a chance to hide it before her son strode into the room.

"What is that?" Michael asked as he stared at the little white stick his mother was holding.

"Is THAT what I think it is?" he demanded.

Carly tried to hide the pregnancy test behind her back as she repeatedly shook her head. "You weren't supposed to see that, Michael."

"Ohhh my God, Mom, are you-?"

"Shhhh Michael, don't say it so loud."

"Mom!" Michael cried out as a thousand questions assaulted him.

"If you're pregnant; then that means - that means Todd Manning is the baby's father."

"No, he's NOT," Carly answered.

"Todd is not this baby's dad," she told him.

"Who is then?"

"Michael, I am not going to discuss my sex life with you!" Carly exclaimed.

"Ohhh my God! He said you didn't..." Michael said as sudden realization hit him. "He said he was just taking CARE of you."

"Michael-."

"I'm going to kill him," Michael cried out angrily. "I'm gonna kill AJ!"

~*~o~*~

Michael arrived at the Quartermaine mansion and demanded to be let in. "What's this about?" Alice asked.

"I want to see AJ," Michael said as he just barged his way inside.

"What's the matter?" AJ asked when Michael burst into the study.

"Why did you lie to me?" Michael demanded.

"Lie to you?" AJ asked. "About what?"

"Don't act dumb with me. I am talking about my mother!" Michael explained. "She's pregnant!"

"Carly's pregnant?" AJ asked with a frown.

"Yes, she is! And you're the father!"

Before AJ could respond, Carly appeared in the doorway. "Michael please, I need to talk to AJ."

"Mom, I-."

"We need some privacy," Carly insisted.

"Alright," Michael said with a heavy sigh. Giving AJ an angry look, he turned and left the study.

"Carly, you look lovely tonight," AJ said after Michael walked out.

"AJ, this is no time for jokes," she said as his blue eyes smirked at her. "There's something that I have to tell you."

"Let me guess. You're pregnant."

"How did you know?" she asked.

"I know because I am the father."


	2. Justice

**Justice**

"I can't believe this," Todd grumbled as he viewed the destruction of his suite at the Metro Court Hotel. All his designer suits had been sliced to ribbons along with his cashmere socks and silk shirts.

"What the hell?" Todd gasped as he found a bottle of whiskey.

He then walked into his bedroom to see that his bed had been demolished. It looked as though it had been the site of a wild, sexual orgy. "Carly," he hissed as she was the only one who had access to his suite.

He grabbed his phone so he could complain to management, but then he suddenly dropped it back on the hook. He wanted Carly back, and he should be grovelling at her feet, not bitching her out because his suite was in shambles.

"Dad!" Todd heard a voice call out.

He walked into the living room to see Starr staring at his shredded clothing. "What in the world happened here?" Starr questioned.

"Carly. I guess she decided to pay me a little visit."

"Wow! I knew she's been angry... but this is unbelievable," Starr stated. "She's never going to forgive you, Dad."

"It's okay, Shorty. I am going to get her back. I'll show her I am going to be a better man," Todd told his daughter. "Just you wait. Within a week or two, Carly will have forgiven me and then I'll have a chance to make everything up to her."

"I don't know, Dad. Carly hates your guts. You hurt her so much when you lied to her."

Todd just shrugged as he bundled his cut-up garments into a pile. "I'm gonna get Carly back," Todd repeated confidently.

"I wouldn't be so sure of that," they heard a voice say.

Todd and Starr looked over as Michael strode into the room. "What are you doing here, Michael?" Starr asked her boyfriend in surprise.

"Looking for you, Starr. Since your dad was just released from Fern Cliff, I figured you'd come over to see him," Michael explained.

"Michael, I know your mom has plenty of reason to be angry with me, but I'm gonna make everything up to her. I swear it," Todd implored.

"My mom thinks you're the scum of the earth right now," Michael replied honestly. "And I'm afraid that something else has come into the equation."

"Something else? What? Johnny?" Todd asked with disgust.

"No. Not Johnny," Michael spoke. He shook his head as he still had trouble believing it himself.

"AJ," Michael revealed.

~*~o~*~

"AJ, you better explain yourself now!" Carly said angrily.

"I think you better sit down, honey. You're looking rather faint," he said as he smirked again. He gently guided her over toward the love seat and helped her take a seat.

Staring at him with fury, Carly waited for him to speak. Her breath came out in little pants as she tried to remain calm. "AJ Quartermaine, explain yourself," she insisted.

"Alright, Carly. I am going to give you a little scenario..." he drawled as he sat down next to her.

"Imagine this. A man and woman are at a bar. They both have had too much to drink. They are flirting shamelessly...and one thing leads to another," AJ spoke. "They end up in a bedroom upstairs, lost in a haze of passion. They share an amazing night... but he's far too drunk to remember. Sound familiar?"

"Yes, AJ. What the hell? Why are you bringing that up?"

"Well, Carly... imagine this... A man and woman are at the bar. The same man and that same beautiful, infuriating woman. She's drinking Vodka and drowning her sorrows in a bottle. He sees her drunk off her ass and he can't let her leave and drive drunk. As much as he hates her, he doesn't want to see her hurt. After all, they do have a son together. He does the noble thing and he drives her home. Only she doesn't want to go home. They end up in a room together."

"AJ, stop this!" Carly exclaimed. "Just tell me ... did we...?"

"You can't remember, can you, Carly? You can't remember; just like I couldn't remember the night you got pregnant with Michael. You kept it from me. You kept our son from me," he spoke with hurt flashing in his sapphire eyes.

"AJ! Stop playing these games! Just tell me if we fucked!"

AJ burst out laughing, a devilish grin upon his face. Carly wanted to slap that grin right off his handsome face. "Sorry, honey. I lied," he chuckled.

"Lied about what?" she demanded.

"It's justice, Carly. You used me! You used me for sex that night Michael was conceived and you tried to pass him off as Tony's. When I finally found out he was mine; you kept him from me! It's absolute justice!" he exclaimed. "I saw my chance... and it was the perfect opportunity. There you were... drunk off your ass and willing. Damn, you were willing!"

She suddenly slapped him across the face with all her strength. "I can't believe you LIED to me," she whimpered. "We- we slept together."

"You better believe it," he said as he grinned at her with satisfaction while clutching his wounded cheek. "Now it would seem we are having another baby together... and you know what, I am happy. I'm extremely happy."


	3. Disbelief

**Disbelief**

"AJ?" Todd said in a growl. "What about him? Your mother despises him."

"Well, maybe not as much as we thought," Michael responded with a frown.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Todd asked. "Is something going on with your mom and AJ?"

"I think you should ask her that for yourself," Michael answered, thinking that he had already said more than enough.

"Alright, I will ask her. Where is she?" Todd demanded. "Downstairs in the lobby?"

"No," said Michael, shaking his head. "She's with AJ right now."

"She's what?" Todd gasped. He suddenly dropped the bundle of clothing he had been holding and headed out the door. He left, hell-bent on finding Carly.

"What in the world...?" Starr said as she looked at Michael. "What's going on?"

"My mom's pregnant, Starr," Michael told her. "And there is a chance that AJ might be the baby's dad."

Starr stared at Michael in disbelief. "What...? Your mom and AJ?"

"Yeah, either that or..."

"Ohhh my God!" Starr exclaimed.

~*~o~*~

Carly longed to slap the satisfied smirk off AJ's face. Her fingers were still smarting from the last smack she had given him or she probably would have slapped him again.

"How can you be happy about this?" she exclaimed. "I don't want a baby... and I most certainly don't want one with you! Besides, this baby could be Todd's. I slept with him just days before I slept with you."

"This baby isn't Todd's," he said as he lay his gaze upon her middle. "It's mine. You don't want it to be Todd's. Have you forgotten what he did to Jason, Sam... and to Danny? He switched Sam's baby. He made her think that her child was dead for months. He hid the paternity test, so Jason died never knowing he had a son. And the entire time, he lied to you. He's bad news, Carly... and you don't want him to be the father of your kid."

"But why would I want you?"

"Because I won't let Todd take this child from you," he told her. "I will offer you and the baby my protection. Todd can try to take us to court ... but he won't win. The baby's mine, Carly."

"I'll just ask Dr. Lee to perform a paternity test. That will settle it once and for all."

"Todd Manning is a millionaire. You can't give him any ammunition. For the baby's sake, you'll have to convince him that without a doubt, this baby is mine."

"AJ, you're crazy! I don't want to have a baby with you!"

"You'll have to do more than have a baby with me," he stated. "You're going to have to marry me, Carly. For the baby."

"What? Marry you?" she gasped. "Why?"

"Todd has to think we are happy and that without a doubt this baby is mine," AJ explained matter-of-factly. "We have to protect the child you carry. I didn't get much time with Michael when he was growing up, but it will be different with this child. This time, I'd like to have a girl."

She looked at him in disbelief. "Ohhh I will keep that in mind, AJ, while this kid is baking in my oven!"

He only grinned as she gave him a look of disgust and pushed him aside. "I am going home. I have to decide what to do."

"To do?" he said with a dark look. "You're not thinking of ending this pregnancy, are you?"

"I told you, AJ! I don't want to be pregnant... and certainly not by you!" she exclaimed. "I don't want to be pregnant by Todd either... and I can't decide which is the lesser of the two evils!"

"Carly, you'll change your mind... once we are married and you have our sweet little baby in your arms," AJ said with a charming smile. He leaned over as though to kiss her, but Carly shoved him aside.

"Get away from me! That's how I got pregnant in the first place!" she cried.

The words had barely left her lips when she looked up and saw Monica standing in the doorway. By the look on Monica's face, she must have heard an earful. "Ohhh my God, AJ! Is it true? Did you get Carly pregnant?" Monica gasped.

"Ohhh just great!" Carly yelled. "Now everybody knows!"


	4. Surprise

**Surprise**

AJ was staring at Monica in shock and no words were coming out of his mouth. "Well, are you going to answer me, Son? Are you sleeping with this - this floozy?" Monica demanded.

Carly opened her mouth to scream an obscenity Monica's way, but AJ cut in. "Now... now, Mother. I can't have you speaking to my future wife in that way. She's the mother of my child," AJ said in a soothing voice. "And we also have another little one on the way."

Monica cried out in horror. "AJ, are you out of your mind?!"

"No, Mom. I'm just crazy in love."

Carly couldn't believe it when those words fell from AJ's mouth. She thought she was going to be sick. She grabbed onto AJ's arm as a sudden wave of dizziness struck her.

"AJ, you better take me home."

"What's wrong, Carly?" AJ asked with concern. "Is it... is it the baby?"

"Yeah, I think. On second thought, I better see a doctor."

"I'm a doctor," Monica spoke up.

"I wouldn't see you if I was dying!" Carly cried out in disgust. After her venomous words, she went deathly pale. AJ let out a gasp as she crumpled at his feet.

~*~o~*~

Todd Manning had just burst into the Quartermaine mansion. He headed toward the study, but was stopped by the burly maid named Alice. "Hey, where do you think you're going?" she asked.

"I know Carly's in there. And I'm gonna talk to her!" Todd stated.

He broke away from Alice and made his way toward the study. He walked in to see Carly being held in AJ's embrace. "What the hell are YOU doing here?" AJ growled as he gave Todd an angry glare.

"I'm here to see Carly," Todd replied.

"Carly, are you having my baby?" Todd demanded, totally oblivious to her semi-conscious state.

"Leave her alone. Can't you see she just fainted? I am taking her to the hospital," AJ said as he pushed his way past Todd.

"Carly!" Todd cried out, but AJ walked out of the study, carrying Carly in his arms.

~*~o~*~

Todd was left in the study with Monica when Tracy walked in. "What's going on?" Tracy demanded. "I just saw AJ walking out the front door with Carly in his arms!"

"Ohhh it's madness I tell you! This house is madness!" Monica said in exasperation.

"Whatever. I am going to the hospital," Todd said as he hurried out the door.


End file.
